The Frugal Carnivore
Our most common and effective source of complete protein necessary for human health is meat–beef, chicken, pork, lamb and fish. Market analysts are predicting that today’s lowered meat prices are a temporary stop on the Inflation Train. Most analysts suggest that this ‘stop’ is due to meat producers increasing their sales of meat to market to avoid paying record prices for grain and other associated costs of raising and bringing meat to market. We, the consumers, can benefit from this temporary pricing downturn and stock up before prices (again according to industry analysts) rise sharply.
No matter what the cost, meat must be handled and stored properly if it is to provide safe nutrition for our families. This safety begins in the grocery store. Purchase your meat at the end of your shopping trip, thus keeping it cold longer. Consider investing in a washable insulated bag or two that can hold your meat purchases from the meat counter all the way home. This is particularly valuable in the hottest summer months.
Most grocery stores offer plastic bags in which to place your meat selections. Utilize these as well as paper towels and hand sanitizer. Place your meat in your grocery cart away from other grocery items. The bottom rung of the grocery cart is a good place, which prevents meat drippings from contaminating other items.
When choosing meats, make sure the meat feels cold in the case. Some consumers carry meat selections around the store; leave them in aisles or at the check out counter. These items have been exposed to warmer temperatures and bacteria may have begun to grow. When choosing fish, remember that if it smells too ‘fishy’, it isn’t fresh!
Look for meat items marked down. These can be a great buy! Some grocery stores mark down their meats on a specific schedule, such as 4pm every day. Ask the butcher at your favorite store if there is a mark down time and shop accordingly!
Some grocery stores will also grind meat for you. This is great for sales on roasts or whole chunks of meat that you would prefer to use as ground meat.
Watch the cashier as she packages your groceries. Do not allow them to place raw meat in bags with other food items. All store employees should be trained to follow this common protocol, but some forget or fail to follow the rules. If raw meat is placed in a bag with fresh produce, insist on replacement produce.
After getting your meat choices home, unpack the meat and frozen items first from your car and refrigerate immediately. Again, keep the meat segregated from other foods. Plastic shoeboxes, trays, dishes, etc are all good options for segregating raw meats in the refrigerator.
If you are going to freeze your meat purchases, spread them around in the freezer. Most home freezers cannot freeze ‘stacked up’ packages, especially densely packed ones, quickly. If you have saved money by purchasing a ‘club’ or ‘family’ package that is too big for a single meal, it is simple to reduce the meat to meal-sized portions. First, follow safe meat handling procedures by beginning with clean hands and work surface. It is preferable to cover your work surface with a clean, washable cutting board or mat. Cut or portion the meat into your preferred size and wrap each portion in plastic wrap. Try to avoid getting the plastic wrap folded into the meat. Place multiple plastic wrapped portions into a heavy-duty storage bag and label; include the cut of meat and date purchased on your label. A permanent marker will write on most plastic bags. Work as quickly as possible, removing only the portion you can process quickly from the refrigerator. Once wrapped and bagged, place the meats in the freezer. You now have perfect meal sized portions of meat! Complete your work session by sanitizing your hands, cutting board, knife and counter top.
You can also pre-cook meat before freezing it. This works particularly well for marked down meats and ground meats. Simply cook as you normally would, stopping the cooking process just sort of ‘well done’. Cool the meat slightly, package into meal sized portions and freeze as you would the raw meat. This is a great time saver!
When defrosting meats, the preferred method is either to place the meat in the refrigerator or utilize the microwave to defrost quickly. Many types of meat can also begin cooking from their frozen state. You simply start off cooking at a slightly lower than normal temperature and increase the cooking time. Covering the pan also encourages quicker defrosting.
Canning is another option for preserving meat and extending its shelf life. If you wish to utilize this method, you MUST have a pressure canner (different from a pressure cooker) and follow guidelines carefully.
Pre-canned meats such as tuna fish have long shelf lives. They are great sources of quick meals, emergency food and good sources of protein. Store your canned meats in a cool place and periodically check their expiration dates.
Whichever cuts you prefer, shop, store and prepare smartly to ensure good quality and food safety!
Read MoreThe Fiscal Physical
As with a medical ‘physical’, a Fiscal Physical requires you to look at the history, examine the patient, evaluate and make recommendations based your findings. Those recommendations (even if they are a bitter pill to swallow) may just find you better able to accomplish all of the other goals you set for yourself It is important to remember that how we handle the financial aspects of our lives has a direct relationship to all other areas of our lives!
Put on that white coat, grab your financial records, and let’s get started on your Fiscal Physical!
The first step is to analyze the incoming money. Where is it coming from? Is it a secure source of income? Can you increase your income this year? Are you taking advantage of all pre-tax options? Are the exemptions declared on your W-2 adequate but not excessive?
Next, look at where your money has gone. Everyone has a different method of and different comfort level of tracking how they spend their money. Some people must record every expense they make while others have broad (or no) categories. Wherever you are in that spectrum, are you comfortable with it? Did you have money left over after meeting necessary expenses? Do you have absolutely NO idea where your money went? Are you saving appropriately? Do you have emergency funds? Are you planning for the future? Do you even know how much you have saved? Are both spouses equally aware of and agree to the allocation of money?
Now, see if the outgoing and incoming are relative to each other. If you have debt beyond a reasonable home, reliable transportation and as few student loans as possible, your incoming and outgoing are out of balance. If you feel stressed about your expenses and shudder every time an envelope with a window arrives in the mail, you need some Financial ICU time! Time is truly of the essence and you must make the decision now that you will become Financially Fit.
After assessing your incoming and outgoing status, analyze all of your accounts. This includes credit cards, loans, mortgage, checking accounts, savings accounts, 401-Ks, IRA’s, CD’s, stocks or other investment vehicles. As you perform this review, check to see if you are optimizing your investments, saving enough and have a plan for the future. Review your insurance coverage in health, life, home, liability and auto. Pull out your ‘What If’ notebook to be certain that a copy of each account’s statement is in your notebook.
If you have a balanced in and out flow, still continue on with the physical. You might find that you could be saving more; you can plan ahead and utilize the money that you are saving wisely.
For those that need a trip to the Money ICU, there are some bitter pills that you may need to swallow in order to get yourself back into a state of Financial Health. Look carefully at where your money is going. If you don’t know, start tracking ALL of your expenses. Do this for at least a month. Remember, little expenditures just like little savings add up quickly. Look for any area in which you might be able to cut expenses right now. Do you really need cable TV? Multiple cars? Dinners out? Fast food? Have the courage to honestly assess where you are, where you want to be and how you can remedy any mistakes that you have made. If necessary, cut up or stash away your credit cards. Cancel any ‘extras’ that you can and begin to take control of your life today.
The next step, no matter what your financial health, is to plan ahead. As you look at the blank pages of the calendar begin to list all of the expenses you know are coming and, if possible, what month they will be due. If needed, use one of those free calendars and actually write down the expenses for each month. For example, do you have youth going to camps this summer? Tuition due? Vacations? Birthdays? Christmas—it comes every single December so start planning now! Do you have taxes due in certain months? Insurance premiums? Other holiday expenses—Halloween, Easter, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day. On each holiday estimate what you will spend and develop a budget NOW! Don’t forget back to school expenses—clothes, shoes, books, supplies, and all of those fees that seem to add up each September. And of course there is prom, homecoming, etc, etc, etc.
After writing down the date-defined expenses, begin to think about those big bills that are likely to come due this year. Does the car need new tires? The house need a new roof? What about the furnace and a/c? Chimney cleaning? Landscaping? College tuition? Wedding? Need a new refrigerator?
Now, write down the things or experiences that you would like to have—things like new furniture, a vacation, new television, etc. Prioritize this list and consult other family members to see if they have known needs or wants.
You should now have a fairly comprehensive outlook of your major expenses for the next year. Of course, you have to add in all of those other ‘necessities’ such as mortgage, food, insurance, donations, etc, etc. Fairly quickly, you will be able to see how much of your family income can be allotted to each need, goal and desire.
All planned expenses can now be saved for. If the entire family is aware of your combined goals, saving can take on the feel of a contest. You have a reason in mind—a goal, something the ‘team’ can work toward. And if there are bitter pills to swallow, you can do it together!
Another benefit of listing all of your needs and wants is that you can watch for sales, clearances or even giveaways of items on your list. Certain items are cheapest at certain times of the year. Knowing this allows you to get the most for every one of your dollars.
Being in control, or in other words, being frugal with your resources, is the best guarantee any of us can have of achieving and maintaining good financial health. Regardless of income, frugality is a principle that yields not only physical, but emotional and spiritual well-being.
Read MoreSpeak Up For Your Health!
(This information comes primarily from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, which inspects and issues accreditation to hospitals and other organizations that deliver medical care.)
The Speak Up program urges patients to get involved in their care. Research has shown that medical errors are a serious problem in the health care system. Informed, involved patients have the lowest occurrence of life-threatening errors. Remember, you are an important part of your healthcare team! By following the guidelines below, you can be your own best defense.
Speak up if you have questions or concerns. If you do not understand the answer, ask again. It’s your body and you have a right to know what is happening. Your health is too important to be embarrassed by asking for clarification. Speak up if you think you are receiving the wrong medication, test, or procedure. Ask your doctor to mark the part of your body that will be operated on. Don’t hesitate to tell the health care provider if you think they have you mixed up with another patient.
Pay attention to the care you are receiving. Don’t assume anything! Expect healthcare providers to introduce themselves, have a visible ID batch and double check your identity before proceeding. Notice whether caregivers wash their hands before tending to you and gently remind them if they fail to do so. Hand washing is the single most effective deterrent to infection. If something doesn’t seem right, STOP and ask the person to clarify. If you are not comfortable with the answer, ask for a supervisor. If you are not comfortable with the process used in a procedure, demand that the healthcare provider stop.
Educate yourself about your diagnosis, medical care and treatment plan. Ask the doctors you visit what training, certification and experience they have in treating your condition. Know what it means for a doctor to be ‘board certified’. Use legitimate websites to check your doctor’s qualifications. Gather information from your doctor, pharmacist, insurer, the library and respected websites about your condition. Thoroughly read all forms before you sign them. Make certain you understand any equipment or medications you are prescribed. Know how to use (or take) them and what side effects to watch for.
Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate. This is vitally important if you must be hospitalized for out-patient or in-patient treatment. Your advocate can help you keep track of information provided to you, ask questions you may not think of, write notes of what is said and Speak Up for you if you can’t. Make certain your advocate knows your wishes regarding your care, life support and resuscitation. Ask your advocate to review consents or other forms you are asked to sign. If necessary, put in writing that your advocate can discuss your care with your providers. Your advocate should thoroughly understand the care you require when you are released.
Know what medications you take and WHY you take them. Medication errors are the most common health care mistake. Ask about the purpose of any medication you are prescribed, its benefits, side effects and potential hazards. Make certain that all prescribing doctors know ALL medications, vitamins and supplements that you take. This MUST include all herbal remedies, naturopathic medications or other things you ingest. If you do not recognize a medication (the shape, color, etc) changes or seems unfamiliar, double check that it is for you and the correct medication! Before swallowing any pill, make certain that you, your advocate and the person dispensing the pill know what you are taking. Read the contents of IV bags and know how long they should run. If you are not well enough to do this, ask your advocate to do it for you. Alter the nursing staff if the IV becomes painful, stops flowing or begins to flow more rapidly. Watch IV lines for excess air bubbles. Be certain that your physician, nurses and pharmacist know about any reactions that you have had to medications in the past. Use the same pharmacist for all prescriptions—this will help rule out adverse medication interactions. Make sure you can read the prescription handed to you. If you can’t, the pharmacist may not be able to either.
Use an ambulatory care center, surgery center, primary care or other type of healthcare organization that has been inspected and certified by a nationally recognized accreditation board such as JCAHO. Ask about the centers experience in caring for your condition. How frequently do they perform the procedure you need? If you have a choice between facilities, ask your doctor which one offers the best care for your condition. Ask them why they make that recommendation. Be certain that you understand about follow-up care and what to watch for before you leave the center. Be certain that you have numbers to call in case you have questions. Check www.jcaho.org to find out if the care center is accredited.
Participate in all decisions about your treatment! You are the center of the health care team. You and your doctor should agree on exactly what will be done during each step of your care. If you are an inpatient, be certain that nurses are following doctors’ orders. Understand why more tests or medications are being ordered. More is not always better. Keep copies of your medical records and share them with your health care team. Don’t be afraid to get a second or third or fourth opinion. Do not be afraid to change doctors if yours doesn’t want you to be actively involved in your care. Seek out others who have undergone the same procedure you are considering. Look for support groups, online message boards and reputable websites. Sharing information with others who have gone through what you are facing can be most helpful in facing what lies ahead. They can often help you prepare strategies that will ensure the best outcome possible.
Read MoreCHAD: Children Have An IDentity
It is one of every parent’s worst nightmares: your child is with you, or worse even, with another adult and involved in an automobile accident. The driver, you or someone else, is seriously injured and unable to identify the children in the car. What are emergency workers supposed to do? Obviously, they will do all within their power to get medical attention to everyone involved, but what about your child? How will those who attend to him or her know whom to call? Is there important medical information that first responders and emergency physicians need to know before treating your child? These are all reasonable and real-life concerns that emergency workers face everyday. Even if your child were unharmed, you would want to be called as quickly as possible to comfort your child!
It is a common enough occurrence that a program has been developed to deal with just such a scenario. CHAD was developed by the National Travelers Assistance Program, after a 13-month old boy named Chad was involved in a car accident while being driven by his babysitter. The babysitter was killed in the accident and Chad’s parents were located only because an E.R. nurse recognized the child. If she had failed to do so, little Chad would have been temporarily placed in foster care.
Since that unfortunate accident the NTAP developed a small adhesive sticker that is filled out by the parents and placed on the right (child’s right as seated) corner of the child’s car seat or booster. You can request a free sticker or you can easily label your child’s seat. Using a ‘sticker’ sheet or label designed for a floppy disk, cassette tape or other blank sticker, or a 3×5 card that you can tape down and write on the following information:
- Child’s Name:
Birth date: Parent’s Name(s):
Phone(s): (home, cells, office) Parent’s Address: Child’s Physician:
Physician’s Phone: Emergency Contact:
Relationship:
Phone: Child’s Known Allergies and/or medical conditions:
Add any additional information you feel is important. Some items that would be helpful to rescue workers and medical personnel would be, for example, your child is autistic, on medication, is hard of hearing, hyperactive, etc.
(The CHAD sticker does not include the allergy and medical condition information. However, this could be critical to treating your child in an emergency. If you use the CHAD sticker, please add this information. If your child does not have any allergies that you know of, write NKA.)
Consider duplicating this information for each child if you are traveling by plane or train. Place the card in the child’s pocket, their backpack and/or jacket pocket. If placing the information in a pocket, safety pin it to the inside of the pocket. This information also belongs in each child’s 72-hour kit.
Read MoreThe Freezer – Your Fast Food Friend
By special request, this week’s pointer is all about making your freezer the go-to-spot for Fast Food. We all have days when we cannot or do not want to cook a meal for our families or our selves. On those days, it is tempting to drive through the closest over-priced, over-processed, calorie laden ‘dining’ establishment or pick up the phone to order in. With current price increases, a ‘dinner’ at most fast food restaurants (which will lack balance but be calorie, fat and sugar laden) will cost the equivalent of 3 or 4 healthy dinners at home. Instead, why not have on hand meals that you have prepared with fresh, healthy and economical ingredients?
Freeze-ahead meals are also ideal for those times when you know you will be preoccupied or unable to cook–a new baby, an upcoming move, surgery, house guests, vacations, extra commitments, celebrations, etc.
In addition to saving time and energy prepping and cleaning up, freezing meals ahead allows you to take advantage of grocery store sales, stick to a budget, reduce waste, cut your utility bills AND have a variety of dishes for every meal available at a moment’s notice.
I first learned the joy of freezing ahead soon after marrying. Growing up, I was accustomed to cooking for as many as 14 people every night. Even without guests, our dining room table always had a minimum of 8 people around it. The first few times I cooked for my new husband and myself, we had such a large number of leftovers that I was forced to package the food into meal-size portions and freeze it. There was no way we were going to waste the food or eat spaghetti for 6 nights in a row. I felt foolish until I realized that coming home from work at the end of a long day, dinner was in the freezer! A few messes and cooking sessions yielded us dinner for weeks.
Since those early days, I have continued to cook ahead and freeze entrees, breakfast items, sandwiches, baked goods (cakes are better if frozen while warm), lunch-sized portions of leftovers, cheese, baby food, diced onions and even chopped garlic. Items that are much cheaper in bulk (like chopped garlic) can easily be divided down into smaller portions and frozen.
There are multiple methods for freeze-ahead cooking. Whichever methods you choose, there are some fundamentals that you should adhere to:
- 1. Review the information found at the National Center For Home Food Preservation, found at http://www.uga.edu/nchfp This site is well researched, easy to use and scientifically sound.
2. Label your food with contents & date prepared!
3. It can also be helpful to keep a list of what you have ready in the freezer.
4. Always practice safe food handling! Thaw your food in the refrigerator, cool in the refrigerator before cooking or cook directly from the frozen state. Keep your hands and work surfaces spotlessly clean during all prep work, cooking and clean up.
5. Don’t hesitate to save a single portion of food. Wrap it, label it and put it in your freezer. These are great for off-schedule dinners, lunches and meals in a hurry. It can also be fun to have a ‘cafeteria’ night when you heat up all of the small portions and everyone gets to have their favorite. We used to play restaurant with one child taking orders from the available meals.
6. You don’t have to start with ‘once a month’ cooking. Simply double a recipe and freeze half. If you do this a few times a week for a month, you will soon have a great treasure in your freezer.
7. Simplify your clean up by using disposable pans or lining baking dishes with a layer or two of foil. Once your food is frozen, you can remove the foil ‘packet’ from the pan, ensure that it is well wrapped, label it and freeze. When it is time to thaw, simply place the packet back into the pan for baking!
8. Don’t mass-produce a recipe you haven’t tried.
9. You can cook and freeze just the meat of a recipe, such as hamburger, chicken, etc. This is a great way to take advantage of sales (especially marked down items nearing their expiration date), while cutting down on prep and clean up. I can cook 30 pounds of hamburger, seasoning with the ‘basic’ seasonings I use in nearly everything, divide it into meal size portions, package it and have it ready for the freezer in less than an hour. When it is time to prepare a meal, having the meat cooked cuts cooking time and mess by at least half. For meats such as pork chops, cook the meat until it is just barely done. Cool and freeze quickly. By doing so, you won’t over cook the meat or cause it to dry out.
10. Nearly any meat that is served in a gravy or sauce does well in the freezer. One exception is a sauce heavy in sour cream, which might separate when frozen.
11. Freeze small amounts of left over vegetables and meat trimmings in a bag. When you have a bagful, boil into a stock that can be used to flavor rice, make soup, gravy or added to recipes calling for stock.
12. Most cookie dough and bread dough can be frozen. Many baked goods freeze beautifully!
As with most things having to do with living providently, freezing ahead conserves your resources today and prepares you for whatever tomorrow brings. To find more information, helpful hints, recipes and even message forums, check out these websites:
There are tons of great sites out there devoted to this topic, so do a google search if you don’t find what you want here!
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